Support for vehicle-tops.



No. 759,104. PATENTED MAY 3, 1904. B. K. HENDRICKS.

SUPPORT FOR VEHICLE TOPS.

APPLIGATION FILED DEC. 31. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR W fiezyam inljffin'ci ricfas Br NITED STATES Patented May 3, 19(14.

PATENT OFFICE.

SUPPORT FOR VEHICLE-TOPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,104, dated May 3, 1904. Application filed December 31, 1903. Serial No. 187,350. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMINVIQINNEY HEN- DRICKS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Camppoint, in the county of Adams and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Support for Vehicle-Tops, of which the followingis afull, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to carriage or buggy top supports and the bows therefor.

The objects of my invention are to prevent the bending and breaking of the bows when the top is laid down, reduce the bouncing up and down of the top when in use, thus making the top last much longer, improve the appearance of the vehicle, and permit it to be taken under low sheds and doors.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings. forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference inclicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a buggytop complete and in an open position, embody- .ing a form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same shown thrown back or closed, and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a detail of the bow.

The main part of the buggy-top A is of the usual or any construction adapted to be folded, and the usual jointed braces B may be pro vided for that purpose. I prefer to provide an extra break in these braces, as shown at B, to allow the top to fold into small compass in the desired way.

C C designate the bows embodying the main part of my invention. It will be observed that they are made in two parts (J and C, the latter being smaller than and capable of sliding within the former. When the braces are doubled up, as shown in Fig. 2, the bows will telescope together and the top will therefore fall down to place, taking up less room and at the same time avoiding any broken joints.

When the top is opened, the parts of the bows are held in position by the thumb catch or spring preferably attached to the outside part U and passing into a slot or hole C in the part 0. This catch may be provided with a spring of any form, as C", to hold it in place. In this construction the back and top of the buggy will not project so far back, but will rest on the back of the seat, thereby taking off the leverage present in those forms known before my invention and reducing the motion of these parts and the strain produced by them on the bows. Also the back can be brought down lower than in the old forms, thus permitting the buggy to be placed in low sheds and taken through low doors. The appearance is also greatly improved. It will be readily seen that a buggy-top madein this manner will last longer than previous devices of its class and will not be so subject to unsightly bends in the parts. is also simple and inexpensive.

Of course this invention is not limited in any way to any kind of vehicle or to a vehicle at all, as it could obviously be applied to automobiles or anything else showing a top of a similar character.

I do not limit myself to the precise form shown in the drawings, as the various elements may obviously be modified in many ways without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In avehicle-top support, the combination ofa brace,and a set of pivoted bows, each comprising longitudinally-extensible members.

2. In a buggy or carriage top support, the combination of a brace, and a set of swinging bows, the latter comprising ahollow part and a second part fitting in and capable of sliding within said hollow part.

3. In a buggy or carriage top support, the combination of a brace, a set of bows, each formed of two parts capable of telescoping one within the other, and means for temporarily holding said parts in extended position, said brace and bows being capable of folding upon each other.

a. In a vehicle-top support, the combination of a brace, a set of bows each comprising two hollow longitudinally-extensible members, and a spring-catch for temporarily fixingsaid members in extended position.

5. In a swinging vehicle-top support,a brace The construction 5 having three joints, and a set of bows comprising unjointed, longitudinally-extensible members.

6. A carriage-bow consisting of a plurality of similar parts pivoted together, each comprising a hollow member and a smaller member fitting within said hollow member.

7. A foldable carriage-bow consisting of a plurality of similar parts pivoted together, each comprising a hollow member and a smaller member fitting within said hollow member, and means for temporarily fixing said members to each other.

8. A carriage-bow consisting of a plurality of similar parts connected together, each comprising a hollow member and a smaller member fitting within said hollow member, a cavity in one of said members, and a thumb-catch carried by the other of said members and adapted to enter said cavity, means for permitting said parts to fold upon each other.

9; In a buggy or carriage top support, the combination of a brace having three joints, and a set of bows, each bow comprising a hollow rod, a smaller hollow rod fitting in said hollow rod and capable of sliding within it and a thumb-spring attached to one of said rods and capable of temporary attachment to the other rod, said bows meeting in a common point.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN KINNEY HENDRICKS.

\Vitnesses GEORGE \Y. CYRUs, W. L FRAZIER. 

